To Think She Could Ever
by NoLongerWritingHere
Summary: On a trip out to the zoo, they realise their thoughts. In a ways. Writen for a Gift Exchange present for AletaVera.


This is written for **AletaVera**, who is my little sister who I loff dearly. Happy Gift Exchange for June/July Leet XD I hope you enjoy it. If you (the public) would like to join such challenges as this, head on over to FictionNET, which is a link you can find in my profile :)

This was also written for a **livejournal** challenge called _30kisses_, under the prompt word 'Look Over Here', so I hope you all enjoy it :)

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They were all out for the day and really, this must have been the day (if you could even pinpoint such a thing) that they realised secretly that there could possibly be something more between their platonic relationship. Perhaps. He couldn't believe it just yet, and there were too many other things on her mind for her to accept it properly but still...the thought arrived there on that day. 

Remus, Tonks, Bill and Fleur had taken anyone else who wished to come to the zoo, and as such had been joined by Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, the twins, Charlie and Fred's latest girlfriend Tararyn who owned her own shop down the lane a bit from his.

Since ...a certain teenager had decided to come along, Kingsley had also joined them even though it was his day off (although he argued as an Auror, you didn't _have_ days off.) and a few members of the Order had agreed to show up randomly throughout the day during their breaks to make sure things were okay. Harry was embarrassed and slightly annoyed with all the attention and extra care he was causing but was also thankfully distracted by his friends leaving the older members of the party to simply enjoy their day out in the slow meandering walk they had fallen into.

Except of course, for Tonks.

She was like a child, her eyes bright as she ran over to the fence and peered over it, the rest of their group following a few steps behind except for Ginny who was stuck fast to her side.

"Look over here!" Tonks demanded, pointing at some young monkeys who were fast asleep and wrapped around each other for warmth. Her eyes had met Remus' directly and she grinned before turning back to witness the cute spectacle. He remained watching her though, or rather the back of her very pink head, and was lost in the thoughts that he couldn't even remember until Charlie nudged him and startled him somewhat.

"Should we break for lunch after this?" Charlie suggested, not noticing the older mans reaction. "I think everyone is getting a little distracted..."

Which was true. Hermione was getting agitated with Ron for ripping her guide to the zoo, Fred, George and Tara were snickering to themselves a few meters away and sneaking looks over at Bill and Fleur which made Remus not want to know what they were planning at all. Kingsley, Ginny and Tonks, as well as Harry, seemed to be the only ones who were actually looking at the exhibits...

"Sounds like a good plan." Remus nodded at Charlie with a smile. "Should we rope them all in?"

They allowed everyone to spread out as much as they liked for lunch, the tables were only fit for four people bunched together anyhow, so their fairly large group broke out into groups of twos or threes for their meal. Remus and Tonks were left alone at their own table as everyone else interested themselves away, even Charlie opting to sit with Ginny and play cards while they ate, but also most likely taking advantage of sitting right behind the twins and Tara to try and overhear what they were planning to do. Kingsley was walking around the eating area casually, keeping an eye on everything.

"It's a nice day to be out." Tonks sighed happily, her hamburger half eaten on the plate in front of her as she picked at her chips. They were at the Muggle zoo of course, and the food there was slightly strange to them. Too much mayo. "It's been raining for weeks until today."

"I think we all need the distraction of being out here." Remus agreed, Sirius had been getting worse and worse being locked up inside all the time. "It's nice being out just to be...out."

Tonks murmured in agreement, slightly quieter than usual.

They fell into comfortable silence and Remus leant back against his chair, warmed by the sun while Tonks picked up her hamburger once again to distract herself. Things felt...different around Remus lately, almost as if she wanted to hug his worries and sorrows away, make him feel better. Of course before it hadn't been like as if she was content with a friend and co-worker being sad, but lately the drive to make him happy felt...stronger, like waves pulling them together almost.

Tonks scoffed at herself, her last 'relationship', had been -...wait, was she even thinking along the lines of a _relationship_ with Remus? She switched off her brain promptly as it simply wasn't making sense. Remus would never take interest in anyone like her, not ever.

She snuck a look at him, his face tilted up to catch the sun as she rested with his eyes closed in content. He looked so peaceful, as if the lines of worry were fading and sliding away. She sighed softly to herself. She could never hope to meet such a kind soul as Remus who would actually ever take interest in her. She returned to her lunch and tried to force the thoughts out of her mind. They were stupid thoughts anyway.

Tonks was special, Remus thought to himself sleepily as he rested back in his chair. She was alive and fresh with youth, always happy and bouncy with endless energy for work and looking after the younger ones or always up for a shift with the Order. Countless times she had covered his shift for him when he had gone through a particularly bad transformation, or when he had actually been scheduled a shift by accident during those actual times under the full moon. She gave and helped without ever wanting anything in return, she couldn't see nor understand how anyone could treat Remus less than a real man and she was always ready to help, even if her help wasn't needed.

She was a lovely girl. Remus mused. Would make some young man very happy one day, and if only…well…

_No._ Remus told himself firmly in his mind. _That's a selfish thought, to think she could ever…_

He forced the thought from his mind and tried to ignore that he had ever thought it. Soon he had drifted off into a doze under the warm and calming sun, the steady chatter of their group around them. Kingsley was doing a good job as acting bodyguard to them, it wouldn't be too bad if he just…

Just for a few moments…

Tonks patted his hand gently after he was asleep which was twitching from the dream Remus was lost in and felt it still under hers. She felt tired as well just by looking at him. It was hard going from a shift with the Order, to work, then straight out to the zoo outing with them all, but she did it and kept strong so she could earn her keep and her place with her new friends. Especially Remus. She wanted him to think she was worthy of…well…what, she didn't really know.

She leant in without really thinking about it and kissed the hand that was wrapped around his other arm, keeping himself warm, and then distracted herself by piling their rubbish onto a tray to take it to the bin.

"Hush, you." She hissed at the twins with a slight blush, who had witnessed everything. "Look over there," she pointed over at Tara who had been calmly reading while she ate who then looked up in surprise, and at the distraction Tonks fled for the bin.

_Why had she kissed him?_

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**A/N** - In my opinion, this piece is fairly out of character. Sorry :( 


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